Truth or Dare?

Chapter:16

-

It had been a few weeks since Adam's dad's car accident, and his dad was doing better. He was wheelchair-bound for two weeks, but he didn't mind. Adam had to take care of him while he was in the wheelchair though. Adam's dad was getting used to Adam being gay, and Adam was coming out of his depression state. Charlie came around his place more often after he recieved Mr. Banks' blessing for him and Adam.

Meanwhile, Portman and Fulton were having some difficulties of their own. Portman's parents weren't excepting the fact that their only son was gay. One day, Portman showed up with a black eye, and he told everyone he had gotten into a fight with someone from Chicago. He had visited his grandparents over the weekend. Fulton, however, sisn't believe him at all. He had seen Portman with his parents before, and the outcome wasn't bright. One time Portman had stolen his dad's car after one of their fights.

We find the two boys, Portman and Fulton, walking down the sidewalk toward the park. Fulton kept thinking about the bruise on his eye that had not yet fully healed. Fulton suddenly stopped walking, causing Portman to stop as well.

"Why are you stopping?" Portman asked, turning to face Portman.

"Dean, we have to talk," Fulton said. This caught Portman off gaurd. Fulton had never used Portman's first name before. He knew something had to be wrong.

"What's wrong?" Portman asked, getting pretty nervous at this point.

"Nothing,... I hope," Fulton asked. Dean, how did you really get that black eye?"

"I told you," Dean started,"I got into a fight with some punk in Chicago."

"We've been dating for almost two months, and you still can't tell me the truth," Fulton stated. I thought I was your friend."

"You know you're more than my friend, Fulton," Portman said.

"Really?" Fulton asked, getting pretty frustrated,"because, right now, I feel like the odd man out." Fulton then started to walk away.

"Fulton wait," Portman called, catching up quickly. You're not the odd man out here. How could you think that?"

Fulton sighed,"I don't know. But what I do know is that you didn't get that black eye from some punk in Chicago. Who really gave it to you? Was it your dad,.. because it couldn't have been your mom."

Portman knew he couldn't hide it from Fulton anymore. "My dad," he whispered.

"Why?" Fulton asked.

"He found out you and me were together, and...let's just say he wasn't happy about me having a boyfriend. I told him I wouldn't leave you just because he didn't like it." As Portman finished telling Fulton about his 'situation' Portman's dad pulled up in his car.

"Son, get in the car," he said, in a clam voice,"I'll drive you home."

Fluton looked at Portman and whispered something that Portman's dad couldn't hear:

"You don't have to go with him," Fulton said.

"I'll be fine," Portman whispered into Fulton's ear. He gently kissed his cheek and got into his father's car. As they drove off Fulton prayed that nothing bad would happen to him. After doing that, Fulton continued to walk home. (FYI: Portman's dad is in town for a few weeks...)

The next day, Portman came to school with no obvious signs of battery, but Fulton wasn't convinced nothing happened. He walked up to Portman and whispered:

"What happened?" Fulton asked. Portman was about to give Fulton a quick lie, but his heart wouldn't let him.

"I'll tell you later," Portman said.

"No, you're going to tell me now," Fulton pulled him by the hand and took him to the library where almost no one went. "What did he do to you?"

"He just hit me,..that's all," Portman said.

"Where?" Fulton asked. Portman looked around to make sure no one was looking, and he lifted his shirt to expose the bottom of his rib cage. He had a huge bruise under his rib cage.

"It looks worse than it feels," Portman reasured him.

"Good," Fulton said,"because it looks really bad. I can't believe he would do this to you."

"Yeah well,... I can," Portman said. Fulton looked at him, confused, and Portman continued. "It's not like this is a new thing." Fulton looked at him in shock for a moment until the bell and for first period. Portman then grabbed his bag and headed for home room.

-

AN: Tell me what you think!